MOTIONS

Senator WALSH (Victoria—Minister for Early Childhood Education and Minister for Youth) (16:31): I seek leave to make a short statement. The PRESIDENT: Leave is granted for one minute. Senator WALSH: The government will not be supporting this motion, as already outlined to this chamber.

The 48th Parliament has seen an increasingly inappropriate use of OPDs. Historically, OPDs have insisted on specificity or have sought a particular document. The scope of this OPD is so large it amounts to nothing more than a fishing expedition.

The government encourages the senator to narrow the scope of their order. The number of OPDs has also doubled since the 2022 election, and the scope of these requests has also expanded significantly. The Senate has agreed an average of four OPDs per sitting day in the 48th Parliament, double the average of two per sitting day in the 47th Parliament and almost four times the average in the last term of the coalition government.

On 27 August 2025, the Senate agreed to 14 OPDs in a single day. The PRESIDENT: The question is that general business notice of motion No. 260, standing in the name of Senator Payman, be agreed to.